I’m not sure about MM, but I dislike the rampant over development there that is an environmental disaster in slow motion. You might try watching the sunrise from Lushan Village (above the now-destroyed Lushan hot spring resort) over on 14. You should be able to find good coffee all over the area now, although probably not at 5AM…
Well I did it last weekend. Took 5 days, and managed to make it all, pretty much sticking to that route. It was pretty much all dawn til dusk riding though, with just short breaks for lunch and afternoon coffee. Not everyone’s cuppa tea, but I like the riding. Getting up before 5 and out the door as dawn is breaking is a good way to do it.
1975KM in 5 days. 43h35m riding time, not including breaks. Total gas cost 1560NT. Yes, I took notes. I edited the travel times into my original post, along with some descriptions.
The highlights were driving above the clouds on the Central, and then, on the way back riding up the Central at dawn, and stopping on the top of that road at 6:00AM. Some of my coffee breaks were great too 
Awesome weather. I think I only had to put on my rain gear 4 times in 5 days, and then only for short periods, with no heavy rain.
One little spill. Slipped on the mud in an area with no road between Puli and Wushe (which another poster already mentioned in this thread). Only suffered a torn rain shoe-cover and a crooked front wheel for a while (it straightened itself out).
Camping didn’t work out quite as planned. I stayed in the tent the first night on the beach in Taidong. Early in the morning the wind woke me up as it was almost blowing the tent down, and it started pissing down. I started packing up at 4:30AM, but got soaked while taking the tent down. Decided to stay indoors the next night to dry things out, so got a 1000NT room past Kending (the campsite MM mentioned looked great though - at 150NT a night). Got such a good rest from that, that the next night, I asked about cheap rooms at the information desk at Qingjing (which is a really nice place). I got a room for 400NT. In a bunk bed in the hall, but nice people and a great sleep, so the next night, after doing my loop around Alishan/Sun Moon Lake, I stayed in the same place again. So ended up only camping one night out of the four.
Anyway, all in all, a fantastic trip and I’d recommend it to anyone. But only try doing it in 5 days if you really like riding and don’t intend to take many breaks. It’s quite a slog. I’d like to do it again sometime, in the car, with the wife, taking 9 days or something. But that’ll take a longer holiday and a lot more cash.
Brian
Wow incredible trip. Something to tell the grandkids one day. That said. Wow I only ever did a 20 mile bike ride and my butt was sore for the next week. Cant fathom what 1900km would be like. NO actually I simply would not undertake that on a bike. CAR? Sure, Moto maybe. But bike no. However, Bike is way different of course. It adds a lot of “feel” when you are propelling yourself around the island like that I would imagine.
When you have time, post some more details.
Surprisingly I didn’t get much of a sore bum at all. My throttle hand suffered though. I’m still having difficulties using chopsticks and stuff.
yes i was reading that die hard cyclists often suffer from carpal tunnel. So rest up those hands/arms
Fantastic trip Bri. I can’t believe it only cost NT1500 or so in gas. I would spend more than that in a car just driving one way to Kenting. Glad to hear the Kenting campsite looked good. They were just finishing it up when I was there last. The location can’t be beat.
So where are the pics?
Didn’t get great photos, but here’s a few.
Scooter ready to go
East Rift Valley
Taroko Gorge
Central Cross-Island Highway coming up through the clouds
Monkeys in Yushan Forest Park, up past Alsishan
Top of the Central at dawn
Lishan
Great Pics. OH you scootered it, not cycled it ala bicycle?? OK< thats better. I dont imagine how anyone could cycle 1900km. Even scooter 1900km is a trek and a half I should say.
Ha ha. Sorry, must be my ambiguous use of the word ‘bike’.
Great pics Bu Lai En - I especially love the 2nd one.
[quote=“Bu Lai En”]
Central Cross-Island Highway coming up through the clouds[/quote]
I see I’m not the only one impressed by that little scene:
I bought some pears on that road- more than $100 each! But worth it. (Well, probably not).
I read you also went to Lishan. When I got there I arrived from Highway 7 and at first there is just a little intersection with a gas station and police station. After a misadventure down the broken Central Cross-Island road I came back and, assuming there was no hotel, asked at the police station for help. A nice old jingcha named Mr Shu made me some tea, called a hotel, told me where to go tomorrow and then posed for a pic with me before he got in the cop car and let me follow him into the actual Lishan town. If you ever go there again please drop him a note and tell him the Aussie he helped out in early 2009 says thanks!
I just recently toured around to Sun Moon Lake, Yushan National Park and Alishan and to Hehuanshan from Taichung and wanted to share my experiences with everyone. I have made about 90 minutes of movies while driving.
As I do not want to link everything again, please just have a look at my (usually German) blog for that.
robertintaiwan.blogger.de/stories/1740956/
robertintaiwan.blogger.de/stories/1741586/
Here is the route
maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8& … 45976&z=12